Whimsical Woodwinds and Boisterous Brass Woodwinds and Brass    

Lesson 20: Wind Ensembles - Petite Symphonie, Op. 216

by Charles Gounod

Performer: Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet

Directions

Study the musical selection for one week.

Over the week:

• Listen to the music daily.
• Recite the composer and composition names.
• Read the synopsis.
• Review the vocabulary terms.
• Read about the instrument or topic category.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Study the review questions.

Synopsis

This lesson completes the study of the wind ensemble, a group of woodwind musicians who perform together. The musical composition for this lesson, 'Petite Symphonie, Op. 216,' by Charles Gounod, features a nonet, or nine musicians playing together.

Vocabulary

Ensemble: A group of musicians, actors, or dancers who perform together.
Petite: French word for small.
Symphonie: French word for symphony, an elaborate musical composition for full orchestra, typically in four movements, at least one of which is traditionally in sonata form.
Octet: A group of eight people playing music or singing together.

Category

1. There exist terms that quantify the number of musicians playing together.
2. Study the following terms quantifying numbers of musicians:

Enrichment

Activity: Quantify Groups of Musicians

Use the special terms you learned to quantify the following groups of musicians (e.g. duo, trio, quartet, etc.):

Review

Question 1

What are the five major categories of instruments listed in the lesson?

1 / 5

Answer 1

The five major categories of instruments are strings, keyboards, percussion, brass, and woodwinds.

1 / 5

Question 2

Which instrument category does this lesson feature?

2 / 5

Answer 2

This lesson features the woodwind category.

2 / 5

Question 3

Which grouping of woodwind instruments does this lesson feature (e.g. duet, trio, quartet, etc.)?

3 / 5

Answer 3

This lesson features the quintet, or five musicians.

3 / 5

Question 4

How many musicians play together for a quartet?

4 / 5

Answer 4

Four musicians play together for a quartet.

4 / 5

Question 5

How many musicians play together for a nonet?

5 / 5

Answer 5

Nine musicians play together for a nonet.

5 / 5

❮ ❯

1. What are the five major categories of instruments listed in the lesson? The five major categories of instruments are strings, keyboards, percussion, brass, and woodwinds.
2. Which instrument category does this lesson feature? This lesson features the woodwind category.
3. Which grouping of woodwind instruments does this lesson feature (e.g. duet, trio, quartet, etc.)? This lesson features the quintet, or five musicians.
4. How many musicians play together for a quartet? Four musicians play together for a quartet.
5. How many musicians play together for a nonet? Nine musicians play together for a nonet.

References

'Woodwind instrument.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.